Short circuit electrical connectors are used in a variety of applications. One application is to protect against accidental firing of an electrical detonator which inflates a vehicular airbag. In particular, airbags are widely used for protecting passengers against the impact of a vehicular crash. An operating circuit for a typical airbag connects terminals to a detonator or igniter for a gas-generating device to terminals connected to a power source through an impact sensor. When the sensor detects a vehicular collision, current flows to the detonator to ignite the gas-generating device to produce a large amount of gas, thereby inflating the airbag.
Such detonators typically are connected to ignition voltage means by an electrical connector assembly. The connectors of the assembly can be unmated to allow the airbag and/or the detonator or other components to be removed for replacement, testing or the like. When the connectors are unmated, their is a risk that the detonator which is very sensitive will accidentally actuate whereby the airbag is unintentionally inflated. For instance, such an accidental inflation may result from leakage or other stray voltage, or accidentally applied current, energizing the ignition current supply of the detonator by electromagnetic induction. In other words, there always is a risk that a magnetic field or an electrical field may be created around the open terminals of the connectors which, in turn, could induce a voltage between the open connector terminals so that current could flow to the igniter or detonator of the airbag.
In order to prevent unintentional actuation of airbags, short circuit electrical connectors are used to maintain the connector terminals closed so that current may not accidentally flow into the operating system when the mating connectors of the connector assembly are not fully mated. Unfortunately, many such connectors have been unnecessarily complicated, not sufficiently reliable and not cost effective. The present invention is directed to providing a very simple, reliable and inexpensive short circuit system in an electrical connector assembly.